Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-15 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 7-8, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takeda et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20120182364 A1, hereinafter “Takeda”).
Regarding Claim 1, Takeda teaches a liquid ejecting apparatus (par 0087 Fig 1A liquid ejection system 1), comprising:
a tank including a tank container and a film (par 0091 Fig 1B, par 0148 Figs 14,16 tank 30 including a tank container/body 32 and a film 34),
the tank container including
a chamber configured to contain a liquid (par 0150 Fig 16 tank container/body 32 including a chamber 340 storing liquid) to be supplied to an ejection head configured to eject the liquid (par 0093 Fig 1A,1B ink may be supplied directly from the ink tanks 30 through the hoses 23 to the recording heads 17; ink supplied to the recording head 17 is ejected through the nozzles to the outside (print sheet) par 0097),
the chamber having an opening at a side face of the tank container (paras 0149, 0150 Fig 16 one end of the ink chamber 340 having an opening at open side face 370 of the tank container/body 32),
an outline of the opening being enclosed by a first rib (par 0149,0150 Fig 16 end face of the outer frame/wall 370c,370c4 of the tank container/body 32 provides a rib enclosing an outline of the opening of chamber 340),
the film sealing the opening (par 0150 Fig 16 film 34 is closely and tightly bonded to the end faces of the ribs 380 and to the end face of the outer frame/wall 370c,370c4 of the tank container/body 32, so as to define a plurality of chambers, [and seal] the liquid chamber 340); and
a wall disposed at a position of facing the film (par 0112 Figs 5,6 a wall 56 disposed at a position of facing the film 34), and including a protruding portion protruding toward the film (par 0126, annotated Fig 8A below, wall 56 shown/taught to include protruding portion comprising ribs shown highlighted in light gray), wherein
the protruding portion faces a second rib provided on the tank container (par 0126 Fig 8A wall 56 protruding [rib] portion shown highlighted in light gray in annotated Fig 8A below, faces a second rib [380 highlighted in light gray in annotated Fig 16 below] provided on the tank container/body 32), and
the protruding portion does not face the first rib (par 0126 Fig 8A wall 56 protruding [rib] portion shown highlighted in light gray in annotated Fig 8A below, does not face first rib comprised of end face of the outer frame/wall 370c,370c4 of the tank container/body 32 enclosing an outline of the opening of chamber 340).
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Regarding Claim 2, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a plurality of protrusions, as the protruding portion, is provided on the wall (par 0126 Fig 8A wall 56 protruding [rib] portion shown highlighted in light gray in annotated Fig 8A above, comprises a plurality of protrusions).
Regarding Claim 3, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the protruding portion has a linear shape extending in a direction of gravity (par 0126 Fig 8A wall 56 protruding [rib] portion shown highlighted in light gray in annotated Fig 8A above, comprises a portion with a linear shape extending in a direction of gravity).
Regarding Claim 4, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a plurality of second ribs, each as the second rib, is provided on the tank container (par 0149 a plurality of second ribs[380 highlighted in light gray in annotated Fig 16 above] provided on the tank container/body 32).
Regarding Claim 5, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second rib has a linear shape extending in a horizontal direction (par 0149 a portion of the plurality of second ribs[380 highlighted in light gray in annotated Fig 16 above] provided on the tank container/body 32 have a linear shape extending in a horizontal direction).
Regarding Claim 7, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
an inlet through which the liquid is poured into the chamber is provided on the tank container (par 0099 Fig 2 liquid fill port 304 is provided on the tank body container 32).
Regarding Claim 8, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a tube through which the liquid contained in the chamber is supplied to the ejection head (par 0100 Fig 2 the ink in the liquid chamber 340 is supplied through the hose/tube 23 to the ink reserving chamber 204 and the ejection head 17).
Regarding Claim 10, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
the ejection head (par 0100 Fig 2 liquid ejecting apparatus 1 further comprises the ejection head 17).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeda et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20120182364 A1, hereinafter “Takeda”) in view of Kawagoe et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20180345675 A1, hereinafter “Kawagoe”).
Regarding Claim 6, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the tank container further includes an outlet portion, through which the liquid contained in the chamber is let out (par 0146 Fig 13 outlet 149), and a passage, through which the chamber is in communication with the outlet portion (par 0145 Fig 13 second flow path 350 in communication with outlet 149),
However, Takeda appears not to expressly teach a passage, through which the chamber is in communication with the outlet portion and which has an opening in a direction opposite to the opening of the chamber (par 0091-0098 Fig 5A passage lower section of 111 through which the chamber Fig 5B 111 is in communication with the outlet portion 157 and which has an opening in a direction [right] opposite to the opening of the chamber [left]), and
the opening of the passage is sealed by a second film different from the film (par 0098 Fig 5A passage lower section of 111 which has an opening in a direction [right] is sealed by a second film 142 different from the film 143 covering the opening of the chamber 111 [left] ).
Kawagoe teaches a passage, through which the chamber is in communication with the outlet portion and which has an opening in a direction opposite to the opening of the chamber, and
the opening of the passage is sealed by a second film different from the film.
Takeda and Kawagoe are analogous art as they each pertain to liquid discharge apparatuses. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus of Takeda with the inclusion of the liquid outlet passage arrangement of Kawagoe. The motivation would have been in order to provide molding of additional features more appropriately provided on opposite sides on the tank.
Regarding Claim 9, Takeda teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1. However, Takeda appears not to expressly teach wherein
the tank container further includes a second chamber having an opening in a direction opposite to the opening of the chamber and configured to contain air, and the opening of the second chamber is sealed by a second film different from the film.
Kawagoe teaches wherein
the tank container further includes a second chamber having an opening in a direction opposite to the opening of the chamber and configured to contain air (par 0041,0085,0090 Fig 5A, tank container 141 of tank 100B further includes a second chamber 170 having an opening in a direction opposite to the opening of the chamber 111 and configured to contain air), and the opening of the second chamber is sealed by a second film different from the film (par 0095 Fig 5A, on tank container 141 of tank 100B the opening of second chamber 170 is sealed by a second film 142 different from the film 143).
Takeda and Kawagoe are analogous art as they each pertain to liquid discharge apparatuses. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus of Takeda with the inclusion of the air chamber arrangement of Kawagoe. The motivation would have been in order to provide molding of additional features more appropriately provided on opposite sides on the tank.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-15 are allowed.
Reasons For Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 11:
While closest prior art Takeda (20120182364 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 11, namely “teaches a liquid tank for fitment in a liquid ejecting apparatus (paras 0087,0091 Fig 1A tank 30 for fitment in liquid ejection system 1) comprising a wall with a protruding portion protruding from the wall (par 0112 Figs 5,6 liquid ejection system 1 comprising a wall 56 disposed at a position of facing the film 34; par 0126, annotated Fig 8A below, wall 56 shown/taught to include protruding portion comprising ribs shown highlighted in light gray), the liquid tank comprising:
a tank container (par 0091 Fig 1B, par 0148 Figs 14,16 tank 30 including a tank container/body 32) including a chamber configured to contain a liquid (par 0150 Fig 16 tank container/body 32 including a chamber 340 storing liquid) for supplying liquid to an ejection head of the liquid ejecting apparatus (par 0093 Fig 1A,1B ink may be supplied directly from the ink tanks 30 through the hoses 23 to the recording heads 17; ink supplied to the recording head 17 is ejected through the nozzles to the outside (print sheet) par 0097), the chamber having an opening at a side face of the tank container (paras 0149, 0150 Fig 16 one end of the ink chamber 340 having an opening at open side face 370 of the tank container/body 32)”,
the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 11, namely "a first rib protruding outwards from an outer wall that forms a wall of the chamber, the first rib protruding from an opposite side of the wall to that of the chamber, wherein an outline of the opening being enclosed by the first rib; a second rib protruding outwards from the outer wall that forms the wall of the chamber, the second rib protruding from an opposite side of the wall to that of the chamber; and a film, the film sealing the opening and being bonded to the first and second ribs; wherein, once the tank is fitted in the liquid ejecting apparatus, a gap between the first rib and wall of the liquid ejection apparatus is greater than a gap between the second rib and the protruding portion of the wall of the liquid ejection apparatus" in combination with all other limitations of the claim .
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK EDWARDS whose telephone number is 571-270-7731. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9a-5p.
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/MARK EDWARDS/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624